Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Cartel-Buster Institute for Justice Goes Up Against the Milwaukee Taxi Cartel with A Legal Challenge

"Milwaukee allows only 321 taxicabs on its streets—almost half of which are owned by Milwaukee County Supervisor Joe Sanfelippo. That is about one cab for every 1,850 residents, one of the highest ratios in the country. This cap on taxi permits has sent permit costs skyrocketing, from $85 to $150,000—putting the dream of owning a taxi business out of most people's reach.

Ghaleb Ibrahim is a Milwaukee entrepreneur who simply wants to own and drive his own taxicab. He has the means to operate safe and insured taxis, but the cap on the number of cabs means his dream cannot become a reality. For now if he wants to drive a cab he must do it for someone else at a hefty rental price.

It does not have to be that way. Milwaukee's taxicab cap violates Ghaleb's right to earn a living, protected by Wisconsin's Constitution. That's why on September 27, 2011, Ghaleb and two fellow drivers teamed up with the Institute for Justice to file a major civil rights lawsuit in the Milwaukee County Courthouse against the city."

Read more here at the IJ website, and read a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article about the case here.

MP: Kudos to the Institute for Justice for its ongoing "cartel busting" efforts. There is probably no other organization anywhere in the entire world that is doing greater work defending small businesses and entrepreneurs against economic protectionism, empowering individuals to earn an honest living, and promoting economic and social justice.

9 Comments:

The worst abusers of economic freedom are our state and local governments.

Why license lawyers? Barbers? Why give licenses to quacks called chiropractors? Why push push-cart vendors off of public sidewalks? Why not allow anyone to operate a jitney? Property zoning? Try building a skyrise condo in Newport Beach. Want to sell insurance nationally? You can't--you must license in every state.

There should be national legislation or a constitutional amendment guaranteeing commercial as well as civil rights.

The most corrupt, venal governments, and worst abusers of commercial rights, are our state and local governments. Usually at the behest of local businesses, trades or unions.

Imagine Texas they no longer need to license lawyers. Yeah, I can see Rick Perry saying that. Sure. he talks tough...but not that tough.

Stone, in many states, a licence is legally considered a "benefit," and residents cannot receive a public benefit unless they are in the U.S. lawfully. Citizenship is not required, but legal prescence would be.